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R. W. COFFEE.

TOBACCO STEMMING MACHINE.

Patented Feb. 15, 1898.

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R. W. COFFEE. TOBACCO STEMMING'MAOHINE.

Patented Feb. 15, 1898..

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(No Model.) 15 Sheets-Sheet 3 R. W. COFFEE. TOBACCO STEMMING MACHINE.

No. 599,309. Patented Feb. 16,1898.

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No. 599,309. Patented Feb. 15,1898.

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No. 599,309. Patented Feb. 15,1898.

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No. 599,809. Patented Feb. 15,1898.

(No Model.) 15 SheetsSl1eet 8.

R. W. COFFEE. TOBACCO STEMMING' MACHINE.

Patented Feb. 15, 1898.

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TOBACCO STEM No. 599,309. Patented Feb. 15, 1898.

(No Model.) 15 Sheets'Sheet 12.

R. W. COFFEE.

TOBACCO STEMMING MACHINE.

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R. W. COFFEE.

' TOBAGOO STEMMING MACHINE. No. 599,309. Patented Feb. 15,1898.

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No. 599,309. Patented Feb. 15,1898

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ROBERT XV. COFFEE, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARD TOBACCO STEMMER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TOBACCO STEIVIMING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,309, dated February 15, 1898.. Application filed October 15,1895. Renewed August 6, 1897. Serial No. M7359. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT W. COFFEE, of Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tobacco-Stemming Machines; and I do hereby declare the followin g to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings,forming a part of this speci- [o fication, and to the figures and letters of reference marked'thereon.

This invention relatesto a new and improved machine for automatically stemming leaves of tobacco and removing adhering leaf fragments from the stems, said machine being in the nature of an improvement upon that of my prior application, Serial No. 519,169, and embodying the following elemental parts or substructures, each possessing new features and all being combined to form a complete organization.

The several elemental parts are, first, the leaf selecting or feeding mechanism; second, the carrying or translating devices; third, the

stemming mechanism, and, fourth, the stem clearin g and delivering mechanism. To these are added the actuating mechanism by which the several devices are made to operate in unison and at the proper intervals to constitute an automatic self feeding stemming-machine wherein tobacco-leaves deposited in or upon a proper receptacle are removed one at a time by the selecting or feeding mechanism and delivered to the translating devices,which 3 5 latter transfer the leaf to the stemming mechanism when the leaf is separated from the stem and the latter passed to the clearing devices by means of which adhering leaf particles are removed.

The individual elements of the complete machine will be described in detail and their connection explained, after which the novel features will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine, looking toward the rear left-hand corner. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig. at is a side elevation, left hand. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, right hand. Figs. 6 and 7 are longitudinal vertical sections showing parts in two different phases. Fig. 8 is a detail of the ratchet-actuating cam for the hopper. 9 is a detail of a portion of the hopper. Fig. 10 is a detail of the heart-cam for actuating the hopper. Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the selecting or feeding devices with front plates removed and fingers in closed position. Fig. 12 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the feed ing devices with the fingers in open position. Fig. 13 is a detail sectional view in perspective of a portion of the feeding devices. Fig.

14 is a detail showing one of the feeding-fingers in perspective. Figs. 15 and 16 are details showing feeding-fingers and supportingplates in perspective in two positions. Fig.

17 is a detail of the feeding mechanism. Fig.

18 is a view in perspective of the clamp or grasping member of the translating device. Fig. 1 9 is a side elevation showing the clamping jaws closed. Fig. 20 is a detail View showing one end of the guide for supporting the clamping-bars. Fig. 21 is a sectional View of the rocking guide or support for the clamping-bars. Fig. 22 is a detail showing a portion of one of the clamping jaws and its bar. Fig. 23 is a perspective View of the translating devices. Fig. 24 is a detail of the actuating mechanism for the translating device. Fig. 25 is a View in perspective of the actu- 8o ating mechanism for reciprocating the translating devices. Fig. 26 is a transverse sectional View, partly in elevation, of the stemming mechanism. Fig. 27 is a detail view showing the leaf-dividers in perspective and 8 5 in elevation. Fig. 28 is a detail View showing the actuating mechanism for the stem pushers or displacers of the stemming mechanism. Fig. 29 is a side elevation of one of the pushers with the side of one branch broken away to show stem-recess. Fig. 30 is a detail view of the stem carrying roll, also showing a modified construction of the stem-1e ceiving device. Fig. 31 is a sectional view of the stem receiver and carrier of the stemming mechanism. Figs. 32 and 33 are detail views (side and edge) of one of the cams for actuating the feeding mechanism and controlling the opening and closing of the jaws of the translating devices. Figs. 34: and 35 are cor- 10o responding views of the opposite jaw-closing cam and the cam for elevating the pushers of the stemming mechanism. Fig. 36 is a detail of actuating mechanism for the translating device.

Similar letters and figures of reference in the several views indicate the same parts.

In the present instance the several individual mechanisms which go to make up the complete machine are associated together and supported upon a frame A of suitable dimensions and form to accommodate and sustain the various working parts, and inasmuch as each of said individual mechanisms contains and embodies novel and valuable features, rendering the same susceptible of use separately or in connection with other mechanisms for the performance of the same or analogous functions, they will first be explained separately and subsequently in combination. The drawings illustrate a multiple machine wherein the feeding, translating, stemming, and stem-cleaning devices are duplicated nine times, there being ten sets in all; but as the duplicates are similar in all material respects a description of one series or sets will suffice for all. i

The Zeaffeedz'ng or selecting mechanism. The principal elements of this mechanism are a laterally-reciprocating support or hopper 1, provided with opening 2 at the bottom for the withdrawal of the leaves, butt-supports 3,with intermediate passage 4, the former projecting above the level of the leaf-support or hopperbottom and forming a support along which the butt-ends of the stems are caused to travel, while the passage 4 is of a size adapted to receive and hold a single stem, and a pair of reciprocating and alternately opening and closing fingers 5, movable in such relation to the slot or passage 4 as to engage the stem lying therein and withdraw or deflect the latter and bring it into position to be engaged by the translating or other devices.

The travel of the support 1, aided by gravity, causes the stem of one of the lower leaves to be deposited within the passage 4, thereby designating and selecting the leaf to be withdrawn, and the fingers 5, being moved in proper relation to the said passage, advance and seize the designated stem, withdraw the latter, open to release the stem, and again advance to engage the next stem which has in the interval been deposited in passage 4. The several elements referred to should be properly constructed and supplied with actuating devices competent to effect the desired movements at the proper times, and although a preferred form of embodiment is shown and will now be described it is obvious that other forms might readily be substituted without thereby involving a departure from the main idea of the invention as expressed in the general combination apart from details of construction.

The support for the stock of tobacco is preferably in the form of a hopper 1, open at the front and top and having a portion of the bottom cut away at the rear to form the opening or passage 2, through which the leaves may be withdrawn. The hopper is guided to move laterally upon the frame A and is provided with a cross-bar 6 at the top, bearing rollers 7, (see Fig. 9,) between which rotates a heart-shaped cam S, secured to a vertical shaft 9, the latter carrying a ratchet-wheel 10 and being supported in bearings on the main frame, Figs. 6 and 7. The cam-shaft 9 is driven from a cam 11, Figs. 3 and 8, acting on a roller attached to a reciprocating bar 12, whose slotted portion 13 engages a pin on pawl-arm 14, the latter pivotally supported on shaft 9 and provided with a pawl-engaging ratchet-wheel 10. At each revolution of cam 11 the ratchet-bar 12 is reciprocated and ratchet-wheel 10 and its shaft 9 advanced a portion of a revolution, causing the hopper to traverse intermittin gl y in one direction the full throw of cam 8 and then reversing the motion to travel intermittingly in the opposite direction. One purpose of the intermitting motion communicated to the hopper is to provide an interval of rest while the fingers are acting to remove a stem deposited in the opening or passage 4 between the butt-sup ports 3. The leaves are placed upon the floor or bottom of the hopper l with their butt-ends above the opening 2, and they are sustained in part upon the upper edges of the butt-supports 3, which latter are in the form of narrow vertical plates separately supported from the rear. In the multiple arrangement shown each plate is attached to an arm secured to a cross-piece of the frame in rear of the hopper and projecting under the latter, (see Figs. 2, 4, 6, 7, 15, and 16,) a wider space being provided between said arms than between the adjacent ends of the plates forming passage 4, as indicated in Figs. 15 and 16. The lateral movement of the hopper carrying the supply of leaves with the stems resting upon the butt-supports operates to shift the position of the stems with reference to the open ing or passage 4, thus insuring the filling of said passage after the withdrawal of the stem occupying said passage, and by giving an intermitting feed movement to the hopper an interval of rest is provided for the Withdrawal of the stem by the fingers.

The construction and arrangement of the fingers 5 is illustrated in detail in Figs. 11 to 17, inclusive. The fingers 5 are mounted in pairs upon a reciprocating bar or frame 15, the latter constructed of front and rear plates 16 with spacing-blocks at the ends, forming an open frame for the accommodation of the fingers and their pivots 17. In the presentinstance frame 15 is guided at the ends to reciprocate vertically, the guides 18 being formed on brackets 19, attached to the main frame A and supporting a cross-bar 20,1ocated beneath frame 15. This arrangement is adapted to tion 23. point 25L above the pivot 17 is provided with an inclined or rounded shoulder, and is narrowed below that point for a purpose to be explained. The object in slotting the upper end of the finger is to enable it to pass on opposite sides of the vertical butt-supports 3, as illustrated in Figs. 15 and 16; otherwise the grasping ends might be of any desired form. A spring 26, interposed between and bearing against the fingers constituting a pair, serves to normally separate the upper ends that is, hold them in open position-cross-pins or other suitable devices being provided to limit the outward movement. Upon the front plate of frame 15, opposite the space between the jaws or fingers, is secured a vertically adjustable gage-plate 27 for determining the depth of the opening for the reception of the stem.

It is the design that the fingers shall remain open during the major portion of the upward movement of frame 15, closing quickly at or near the termination of said movement to grasp the stem lying Within passage 4:, descend while still closed on the stem to draw the latter down, and open quickly at or near the limit of the downward movement. A convenient and effective arrangement of mechanism for producing the alternate closing and opening of the fingers or jaws consists of a pair of bars or links 28, guided at their upper ends so as to be permitted a limited vertical movement independent of frame 15, as by slotting the end of the link and causing it to ride upon a pin fixed to the frame, said pin serving both as a guide and a stop to limit the independent movement of the link and frame. The lower ends of the links 28 are similarly guided and the independent motion limited with reference to the fixed cross-bar 20, the latter being adj ustably attached at the ends to the supporting-brackets 19 for determining and adjusting the point at which the jaws or fingers will be opened and closed. Each link is provided with a shoulder 29 for cooperating with shoulder 24 of its finger 5, and below shoulder 29 the side of the link is cut away or retracted to permit shoulder 24: to move laterally under, shoulder 29 and thus tilt on its pivot in a direction to cause the upper ends of the fingers to separate and the jaw to open.

By reference to Fig.12, which shows the frame 15 and the fingers carried thereby in their lowest position, it will be observed that the links 28 are at the limit of their down ward movement in cross-bar 20, that frame 15 is at the limit of its downward movement with reference to said links, and that shoulders 24 on the fingers stand below the shoulders 29 on the links and opposite the recessed portion of the links. As a consequence the fingers stand open. If now frame 15 is elevated to the position illustrated in Figs. 11 and 13, bringing the extremities of the fingers on opposite sides of the passage The outer edge of the shank at a l or with their pointed ends even with or slightly above the upper edge or face of the butt-supports, as in Fig. 16, the first effect of such movement will be to raise the links the full extent of their independent move ment with reference to bar 20 or until the lower wall of the slot contacts with the pin, while the frame 15 will have been moved with reference to the upper ends of the links until shoulders 29 contact with shoulders 24 on the fingers. YVhen this takes place, the, frame 15 will have arrived near the upper extreme of its movement and the grasping ends of the fingers will have been brought opposite the passage 4, as represented in Fig. 15, in position to engage the stem located therein. The further final upward movement of frame 15 will carry the shoulders 2st above shoulders 29 on the links, the latter remaining stationary, thus tilting the fingers on their pivots and closingtheir upper ends upon the stem to firmly grasp the latter. As the frame 15 descends again the fingers will be maintained in closed position by reason of the engagement of the links with the shoulders on the fingers until during the continued downward movement the upper walls of the slots engage the pins in cross-bar 20 and the links are brought to a standstill and so held until the shoulders 24: on the fingers pass below the cooperating shoulders on the links, at which time the frame 15 will have completed its downward movement and the fingers will be opened by the spring to release the stem.

In order to effect the separation of contiguous stems and prevent obstruction to the lateral movement of the stems resting upon the butt-supports, the upper ends of the fingers are beveled or inclined, as shown. 11611 the parts are duplicated to form a multiple machine, the links 28 may be interposed between adjacent fingers of contiguous pairs of jaws or fingers, so that each link may be made to operate upon two fingers. The vertical movements of the frame 15, carrying the fingers, are produced and controlled by lifting-cams 30, carried by a rotating shaft and arranged to engage suitable bars 31, attached to the ends of frame 15, with their lower ends or engaging portions lying in the paths of said cams, which latter operate to quickly raise and release frame 15. As arranged in the machine illustrated, the fingers are held normally retracted-that is, in their lowermost position and with their engaging ends or jaws open-such arrangement being specially adapted for use in connection with the translating devices about to be described.

The carrying or translating (Zeot'ces.lt is obvious that the selected leaf whose stem is grasped by the fingers could be withdrawn from the hopper while still in the grasp of the fingers and carried to a more or less remote point for delivery; but for the purposes of the complete machine described and illustrated herein this would require an unnecessary complication of machinery and would be accomplished at the expense of time, speed of operation being a very desirable quality in a machine of this kind. Hence it is preferred to employ a separate mechanism, herein designated the carrying or translating devices, to which the butt-end of the selected stem is delivered by the fingers or jaws of the feeding or selecting devices. The special features of the translating devices are a pair of jaws reciprocating horizontally or in the direction in which the leaf is to be carried, provided with actuating mechanism competent to place said jaws in position to receive the stem carried by the feeding-fingers 5; to automatically close said jaws and grasp the stem; to maintain the jaws in closed position while the leaf is being withdrawn from the hopper and transported to the place of delivery, and to automatically open said jaws and deliver the leaf. The details of the preferred form of mechanism are shown in the drawings, particularly in Figs. 6, 7, 18 to 25, and 32 to 36, inclusive. The side frames are each provided with bearings 40 for the reception of apivotally-supported guide 41, whose guiding portion is located to one side of or above the plane of the pivots. The two guides occupy parallel planes and by virtue of their pivotal arrangement are capable of swinging in parallel arcs toward or from each other. The guideway is formed by recessing the upper portion of the guides 41 and applying thereto an L-shaped cap-plate 42, forming a grooved way with an overhanging lip or ledge 43. Each guideway receives between the floor of the recess and the edge of the lip or ledge 43 of the cap a slide 44, the latter being provided with a transverse mortise for the reception of one end of a U-shaped guide-bar 45, spanning the interval between the two swinging guides 41. Thus there is provided a guide-bar 45, supported at the opposite ends in pivoted guides, so that said guide-bar may be reciprocated sidewise, while the pivoted guides are free to oscillate in planes at right angles to said guide-bar, for a purpose to be described.

Upon or within the guide-bar 45 are mounted, side by side, two longitudinally-reciprocating bars 46, each furnished with one or more gripping-jaws 47, preferably furnished with serrated or toothed gripping-faces to increase the hold upon the stem or other article introduced between them. One end of each gripping-bar 46 is furnished with a head 48, adapted to enter beneath the overhanging lip or ledge 43 of one of the pivoted guides 41 in such manner that when the two guides 41 are oscillated in opposite directions and caused to approach each other the bars 46 will be forced in opposite directions and the jaws closed by the pressure of the said swinging guides against the ends of said bars, and when the swinging guides are moved in the opposite direction or away from each other the bars 46 will be withdrawn and the jaws opened by the engagement of the lip or ledge 43 with the sides of the heads 48. These swinging movements of the guides 41, while serving to alternately openand close the gripping-jaws, do not disturb the parallelism of the guides. Hence the grippingjaws, together with their supporting-guide, are free to reciprocate laterally of said supporting-guide and longitudinally of the swinging guides, Whether the latter be at either extreme of their oscillation or at any intermediate point. It follows, therefore, that the gripping jaws may be closed or opened at any point while traversin g the swinging guides, that the opening and closing of said jaws is controlled by the movements of the swinging guides in which they reciprocate, and that the movements of the gripping-jaws are positive.

Inasmuch as the translating device is in the present instance designed to receive the stem as delivered by the feeder and transport the leaf to the stemming mechanism, the swinging guides 41 are so arranged relative to the fingers 5 of the feeding mechanism that when the latter are near the extreme of their downward movements and the fingers are actuated to release the stem carried thereby the gripping-jaws 47 of the translating device will stand open in rear of the feeding-fingers in position to receive the stem and engage the latter, and after the gripping-jaws have firmly grasped the stem they shall be moved horizontally and rearwardly to draw the leaf from the hopper and carry it to the stemming de vices or other point of delivery, where the jaws will be opened to release the leaf and re; turned again to position in. rear of the feeder, ready to receive the next stem delivered. The requisite movements to effect these operations are communicated and produced as follows: The traverse of the gripping-jaws toward and from the feeding devices is effected through the medium of a rock-shaft 49, provided with arms 50, which latter are connected, as by links 51, to the slides 44, in which the ends of the guide for the gripperbars are supported; The longitudinal movements of the gripper-bars in their guide 45 are effected by cams 52, operating upon the swinging guides 41. Each swinging guide 41 is provided with a detachable bearing 54, in which is pivotally supported one end of a shaft 55, bearing two rollers or pins 56, between which latter the cam 52 is received and operates. The two shafts 55 are connected at their inner ends by a telescopic or equivalent joint, Fig. 24, permitting longitudinal movement of the two shaft'sections in opposite directions and tending to preserve parallelism between said shafts and the guide 45. The cams 52 are of a form suitable to produce a complete reciprocation of the swinging guides at each revolution of said cams and to hold them at each extreme of their oscillatory movement during approximately a half-revolution of the cams, so that the gripping-jaws will close and remain closed during their movement from the feeding devices to the point of delivery to the stemming mechanism and remain open during the return movement.

The stemming mechanism-Next in sequence comes the stemming mechanism, by means of which the .stem is separated and detached from the leaf portion. The principal elements are the leaf carrying and clamping devices engaging the leaf portion on opposite sides of the stem, a reciprocating plunger or pusher engaging the stem between the leaf clamping and carrying devices, and a rotating cylinder provided with flexible teeth, into or upon which the stem is thrust by the plunger as it is disengaged from the leaf portion. To the foregoing may be added a fixed cutter or divider for severing portions of leaf overlying the stem. The leaf carrying and clamping devices comprise in this instance two pairs of endless belts, preferably metallic, suitably guided, so that the belts of each pair shall be properly spaced to accommodate the stem lying longitudinally in the intervals between them, and the belts of one pair or set shall approach, travel a short distance with, and then diverge from the belts of the opposin g set or pair, thus providing for the entrance of the leaf between opposing pairs of belts or traveling surfaces, the clamping of the leaf portion on opposite sides of the stem, and the presentation of the stem to the plunger. In the'present instance the belts of the lower set or pair extend around a smooth-faced driving-roller 61, independent collared rollers 62, and independent grooved pulleys 63,the latter being mountedin pivoted supports 64:, acted upon by compression-springs 65 to maintain the proper degree of tension on the belts. In passing from the tension-pulleys 63 to the driving-roll 61 each belt 60 is conducted beneath and travels part way around a hollow support or rings 66, the latter being provided with a groovenear one end of its periphery. The belts 67 of the upper set or pair partially encircle the rings 66, being secured in the grooves, and run thence to independent grooved pulleys 68, supported upon a shaft above the driving-roll of the lower belts. The grooved rings 66 are supported upon rollers 69, supported in triangular relation and each provided with a spacing-flange 09 e11- tering between said rings and serving to space and maintain them at the requisite distance apart. The rings, together with the upper set or pair of belts, are driven through the lower set of belts, although, if desired, power might be applied to one or more of the supportingrollers 69 or to the rings as an aid in driving the upper belts. The rings beingmaintained at the proper distance apart, the position of the grooves in which the two pair of belts travel determines the space between the belts of each pair at the point where the belts of opposite pairs come together, and as the tension-pulleys 63 have their grooves at a somewhat greater distance apart than the grooves in rings 66 it follows that the lower set or pair of belts 60 travel on slightly-converging lines from the tension-pulleys to the rings.

Within the rings 66, withits axis substantially parallel with the axis of said rings and near the inner periphery of the latter, is a rotating-cylinder 70, upon whose peripheries opposite the space between said rings is mounted a series of spring-teeth 71 for the reception and retention of the stems, and the latter are thrust through the space between the rings. The shaft of the cylinder 70 is mounted in bearings on the side frames, and the flexible teeth 71 maybe attached to bars and secured to the cylinder by collars or otherwise, or a section of carding-cloth 73 may be employed for the purpose, (see Fig. 30,) the object being to provide a rotating cylinder with flexible teeth upon or between which the stems maybe thrust and by their engagement with said teeth may be drawn and carried within the rings or away from the leaf portion clamped between the belts on the periphery of said rings. As an aid in effecting the separation of such portions of the leaf as may overlie the stem a curved knife 75, Figs. 27, 6, and 7, may advantageously be employed in connection with the springtoothed roller, said knife being supported with the rings with its lower curved cutting portion lying between the pins and its cutting edge standing in substantially the plane of the points of said teeth.

The plunger for operating upon the stem to force it laterally between the rings and upon or between the pins or blades of the cylinder 70 is preferably provided with two arms, (see Fig. 29,) the one shorter than the other and having a slight concavity in the end. A rapid reciprocating motion is communicated to the plunger, and it is so arranged relative to the belts, rings, and toothed cylinder that its two arms will pass between the belts and rings, forcing the stem laterally and tearing or breaking it loose from the leaf,

which latter is firmly held between the belts on opposite sides of the stem, and forcing the stem below the surface of the toothed cylinder, so that it will become engaged and held thereby. The best results are obtained when the front or shorter arm of the plungeris arranged substantially in line with and radial to the axis of the toothed cylinder, with the longerarm in the rear, said longerarin merely supplementipg the action of the shorter arm to insure'the delivery of the stem to the toothed cylinder. The groove or recess in the shorter arm aids in centering the stem and preventing the arm from passing to one side of it. A convenient actuating mechanism for producing the rapid reciprocation of the plunger is formed by mounting the lower end upon a crank 82, secured to a rotating shaft 83, and causing the furcated portion to straddle a shaft or pin 84.

The multiple machine illustrated is pro- IIO 

